The present invention generally relates to the field of storm water management and flood control. More particularly, the present invention relates to restricting the rate of storm water output from a drain pipe.
A storm drainage system is generally designed to accommodate and eliminate excessive amounts of storm water that might otherwise accumulate on roadways or flood homes. Typically, the storm drainage system channels the storm water from surface level where the potential for damage is high into underground pipes and/or cisterns where the storm water can be safely dissipated or stored for future dissipation. Such systems work well within design limits to protect the surface from flooding and the associated property damage and risk of harm associated therewith. However, a storm drainage system exposed to a flow of water beyond that which the system is designed to accommodate can be overloaded causing water to back up to the surface and potentially cause a flood.
Control of the rate at which storm water flows into or out of the storm drainage system can be important to prevent or inhibit such overload. For example, consider a first urban neighborhood having a modern storm drainage system designed to accommodate a tremendous volume of storm water. The first neighborhood is hit by a tremendous rainfall that is accommodated by the modern storm drainage system, and the storm water is channeled into drainage pipes to drain away from the first neighborhood as designed. A second nearby neighborhood has a storm drainage system interconnected with that of the first neighborhood. Unfortunately, the storm drainage system of the second neighborhood is incapable of accommodating the volume of water draining from the first neighborhood. Consequently, the storm drainage system of the second neighborhood becomes overloaded.
In this exemplary scenario, overload of the second neighborhood's storm drainage system makes it likely that the storm water would back up into the streets and homes and flood the second neighborhood. However, if the rate of flow of the storm water could be controlled at any stage between entering the drainage system of the first neighborhood and entering the drainage system of the second neighborhood, overload and flooding could be prevented. A need therefore exists for a device that can limit or restrict the rate of water flow into a storm drainage system to prevent overload of the system.
Storm pipes that comprise a typical storm drainage system are made from materials selected based on the size of the desired pipe, material strength, ease of handling, life expectancy, resistance to erosion, and cost, among other factors. Exemplary materials used in the construction of storm pipes include reinforced and non-reinforced concrete, corrugated polyethylene, corrugated polyvinyl chloride, and various grades of steel, as known in the art.